


Hearts will be glowing

by raug_moss



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Family Fluff, Romance, With a Kryptonian twist, holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-10 23:35:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8943892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raug_moss/pseuds/raug_moss
Summary: Cat runs into trouble when curiosity gets the better of her and she figures that there has to be some way to make it up to Kara.





	1. Curiosity killed the cat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CrazyBeCat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyBeCat/gifts).



> Supergirl Secret Santa submission:
> 
> so I thought that I'd thrive under the pressure of a deadline... well, nope. but I gave it my best shot and this is the result. I did reach the word count I set for myself, so yaay.  
> thank you CrazyBeCat for the prompt, I hope you like what I did with it, at least a little. happy holidays!

Kara grinned and bit her bottom lip to keep the expression off of her face. She knew Cat was going to arrive at the office in a few minutes, had heard her talking on the phone as she got out of the car all the way at the front entrance.

Cat’s arrival always brought a flurry of activity and especially during such a busy time of the year she had to be prepared for everything, no additional distractions needed, thank you very much.

Plus Cat was in the habit of blindly grabbing her latte as she walked past Kara, simply expecting the cup to find its way into her palm. The entire office had grown quiet the one time she had to stop and actually wait for Kara to pass it to her. Kara had never felt quite as mortified as she did under that glare.

Either way, she couldn’t allow herself to be distracted, despite the letter and the wrapped package under her desk.

Just in time the elevator _ding_ ed open and Kara stood at the ready next to her desk, her fingers curling gently around the paper cup before she handed it over to Cat who rushed past her without a second of hesitation. Her large sunglasses prevented Kara from seeing her entire face, but judging by the slight tilt of her lips, she wasn’t in a good mood this morning.

Kara turned back around and gathered her tablet in her arms, briefly pulling up the list of tasks for the day before she followed Cat into the office.

“Good morning, Miss Grant.”

“Get my lawyer on the phone,” Cat simply replied. She had discarded her purse and blazer rather distractedly on the cushions of the couch and was now taking a seat behind her desk. In one swift movement she had replaced her sunglasses with reading glasses and was staring at her computer screen with a scowl.

“Right away, Miss Grant,” Kara replied and spun around on her heel to hurry back to her desk. Something was definitely up and it seemed like it would be one of _those_ days. Not that Kara minded, she had dealt with them before and it usually meant that Cat would be a little less irritated for a while once this issue was resolved.

She directed the phone call to Cat’s office and waited patiently while Cat paced in front of her desk, her voice quiet as she gestured with her free hand. Kara wasn’t going to listen in on a private conversation, never had and never would, but whatever was happening was clearly agitating as Cat eventually made a frustrated sound and stepped out onto the balcony.

With all of her emails already answered, Kara hesitated for a moment, at a loss for what to do. Since she hadn’t gotten to brief Cat, she wasn’t sure which parts of the agenda would fit into Cat’s schedule and what the next task should be. All of the departments had received their instructions and no questions or complaints had cropped up. So Kara sat at her desk, staring at her tablet with her hands uselessly hovering above the keyboard.

Cat was still out on the balcony and it seemed like she wasn’t anywhere close to ending her conversation. So while Kara contemplated what to do next, she felt curiosity pricking at the corners of her mind. Her eyes automatically wandered to the wrapped box in the purse at her feet and a small smile stole across her lips.

Her resolve crumbled rapidly. A little peek wouldn’t hurt, right? It wasn’t like she had anything else to do at the moment and Cat would never know. She could just read the letter later.

She bent down and grasped the box in her hands, quickly placing it in her lap and tugging at the wrapping paper. The edges were folded with absolute precision and she untucked them like an envelope. A silvery box was revealed underneath and a small gasp made it past Kara’s lips. The sign of the House of In-Ze was etched into the material and emotions welled inside of her at the sight of it.

It should’ve occurred to her that this was neither the time nor the place to open the box, but she was quietly overwhelmed and found her fingers reaching for the lid, slowly pushing it up.

Inside, nestled into velvet cushions, lay three colorful crystals, one more beautiful than the next. They all combined swirling colors and designs, and anyone with half an eye for such things would’ve realized that they could not possibly be from Earth.

That was why Kara almost jumped out of her skin when someone cleared their throat right in front of her. Her gaze snapped up to Cat’s pursed lips and raised eyebrow as she slammed the box shut. “M-Miss Grant.”

Cat narrowed her eyes and Kara quickly deposited the box into a drawer of her desk while rising to her feet.

“You know I do not tolerate crying at work.”

Kara’s hands flew to her cheeks and her fingertips were met with wetness. “I’m so sorry Miss Grant, I didn’t mean to… I wasn’t…”

She quickly wiped her face with her palms and inhaled a deep breath. “It won’t happen again, you have my word. I apologize.”

There was something in Cat’s look, like she was trying to figure out some sort of puzzle. Kara had seen it before and she didn’t like it one bit that it was now directed at her. Had Cat caught a glimpse of what was inside that box? Would she have recognized the crystals for what they were?

Cat’s flickered downward briefly before she turned on her heel. “My office, now.”

Kara scrambled around her desk, grabbed her tablet and followed right at Cat’s heels, exhaling a silent sigh of relief that Cat had seemingly decided to let the issue go.

S-S-S

_\- 24 Hours Earlier –_

Astra shifted awkwardly and pursed her lips as she looked down at herself.

“Oh stop it, you look good.”

Astra’s eyes snapped up again and she cleared her throat. “I wasn’t worried about my look, little one, but rather trying to get used to the feeling of these… _clothes_.”

Kara pressed her lips together to stop the laughter that was rising up in her chest. The last thing she wanted was to make Astra feel even more out of place than she already did.

Despite having spent so much time on Earth, she was still very much unfamiliar with something as simple as human clothing. Kara hadn’t been lying when she’d said that Astra looked good. She’d already drawn several looks in her black jeans, simple shirt and matching leather jacket and boots. Usually, Kara was the one oblivious to what people around her thought, but since she had convinced Astra to go shopping with her she’d been a little more cautious than normal. There was still something decidedly _different_ about Astra and that had to have some meaning coming from her, the other alien.

They had just purchased a few items Astra needed for her daily life, which now basically revolved around working with the DEO and spending time with Kara, when they walked past a display window. Astra stopped suddenly and stared. “What is _that_?”

Kara glanced around quickly, wondering if they’d somehow managed to run into a Fort Rozz escapee or something equally extra-terrestrial, until she realized that Astra was staring at a Christmas display. It felt like Halloween had barely passed by, bewildering Astra to no end with everyone dressing as fictional creatures, and now they were heading straight for Christmas and another set of confusing human traditions.

Admittedly, it was a rather ugly Santa Claus figure with his sleigh and reindeers, but Kara had gotten long since used to the way people enjoyed their holidays on this part of Earth.

“These get uglier every year,” Kara mumbled and turned to Astra, “there is a holiday here, it’s called Christmas, and a lot of people celebrate it in some form or another.”

“A holiday?” Astra replied quietly, her gaze growing thoughtful.

“Yes, nowadays it’s a lot about being with your family and spending time with your loved ones, even if you’re not quite as attached to the religious side of it. And you give presents, and decorate. It’s actually pretty fun.”

“We used to celebrate something quite like it on Krypton,” Astra said and Kara nodded.

“I remember, _zehdh khehth_.” Kara whispered the last two words and found Astra smiling at her with a sadness in her eyes they both usually managed to keep at bay.

The Kryptonian holiday was basically a celebration to honor the family and to remember their ancestors, all those who had come before them. In hindsight, it might’ve been more politically motivated than festive, but Kara still remembered spending those days in the circle of her family, simply being together and enjoying each other’s company.

Astra took a deep breath and seemed to shake herself out of the mood they’d unwittingly found themselves in. “Are we done here, little one, or would you like to purchase something for yourself?”

Kara shook her head. “I don’t need anything and I think we have enough clothes to last you for a while. Let’s go.”

Because of Astra’s aversion to public transport, mainly because of the smell and also because she deemed it inefficient, they made their way toward an empty alleyway rather than the nearest subway station. It was risky, as Alex liked to remind them time and again, but Kara found that flying with Astra gave her a sense of freedom and belonging she hadn’t expected to feel ever again. At least not like this.

Kara clutched the shopping bags to her chest as she urged her body to defy gravity. The cold air whipped around her and she smiled at Astra as they zoomed between buildings toward her apartment.

They were just about to put down their bags when a call from Alex and the DEO interrupted any and all plans Kara may have had for dinner. Eating with Astra was usually a strain on her wallet but also a lot of fun since she didn’t feel strange about the amount of food she consumed.

Instead they headed out to fight a giant black alien with a gaping mouth filled with sharp needle-like teeth and some sort of improved sense of smell. Luckily Astra had encountered something similar before and together they managed to detain the alien and wrap up a rather stressful night before Kara had to go into work the next morning.

The alien had just been transported to a special cell at the DEO and Kara smiled lightly as she watched Astra striding across the main floor toward her. She was very glad that they had managed to find common ground and Astra had decided family was more important than her plans to enslave humanity. In fact, she’d learned to appreciate human efforts to save the planet and had departed from her extremist standpoint to work alongside the native population.

Astra had turned out to be an invaluable help and Kara couldn’t be happier that her family now encompassed her aunt, a fellow Kryptonian.

“Good work out there,” Alex commented from beside her as Astra reached them.

“It was easy since we were engaging a highly inferior species,” Astra replied with a small scoff.

Kara and Alex shared a quick look. “Yes, no problem at all.”

“If our assistance is not needed any further, I would like to depart.”

“We’re good here,” Alex replied and Astra nodded before smiling briefly at Kara.

“See you later,” Kara said with a wave as Astra left.

“Is she behaving more strangely than usual?” Alex whispered.

“I’m not sure, she was quite appalled by the Christmas display we saw earlier but I don’t think that’s it.”

Alex exhaled quietly. “You should go get some sleep, we’ll talk tomorrow.”

Kara nodded and they exchanged a quick hug.

On her way back to her apartment Kara kept her mind purposefully blank, not wanting to worry about aliens or Astra’s behavior when she had a full day of work ahead of her. She quickly changed out of her Supergirl outfit and slipped into bed, falling into a deep slumber almost right away.

The next morning she awoke with a small groan and upon trudging into her living room found an envelope with her name in flowing script on the front and a small package on the coffee table. She recognized the handwriting as Astra's and she was just about to reach for the letter when her eyes zeroed in on the clock across the room.

The time couldn’t be right, right? She zoomed back into the bedroom and grabbed her phone. Yep, she was going to be late for work.

Kara doubted she’d ever gotten ready for work this quickly. Her movements were only blurs and yet it still seemed too slow to her. She got done in the bathroom and was fully dressed mere minutes after the mild panicky feeling in her stomach had settled there. She took a moment to convince herself that she had super speed and that she was going to make it to work on time before Cat got there.

It wouldn’t help anybody if she freaked out and exposed her identity by blasting into the office in front of everyone. Instead, she took a calming breath and quickly gathered her things, briefly hesitating at the coffee table, before she grabbed the package and the letter and put them in her purse.

She could’ve easily left them until after work, but sometimes Kara was too curious for her own good. Maybe she could peek inside during lunch break.

Astra wasn’t exactly known for showering other people with gifts, so this was definitely out of the ordinary.

With a little extra burst of speed, Kara managed to sit at her desk before Cat even entered the lobby downstairs and she had a piping hot latte waiting as soon as Cat exited the elevator.

S-S-S

_\- Present -_

Cat looked up from the layouts in front of her and thoughtfully regarded the empty desk outside of her office.

She was trying to concentrate on the work at hand but to her dismay she kept getting distracted by other thoughts. She was not only musing over the talk she’d had with her lawyer this morning but also her assistant’s strange behavior. She’d known Kara for several years now, had gotten a feel for what kind of person Kara was, and yet she’d never seen her quite as emotional as earlier.

It was unexpected, really, to walk up to Kara’s desk after having received no response to her calls to see silent tears running down her cheeks. A strange feeling had fluttered through Cat and although her first instinct had been to reach out a comforting hand, she had snarked at Kara instead.

Cat tapped her pen against the stack of papers and slowly reached up to pull her glasses off of her face. She halted the movement halfway as a small alert on the corner of her screen signaled a Supergirl sighting in National City. Her eyes narrowed briefly toward the empty desk outside before she turned to her wall of monitors to watch the alien encounter that unfolded downtown.

Supergirl clearly had the upper hand as she struggled to detain some kind of alien that seemed to have an endless supply of regrowing tentacles. The camera zoomed in on Supergirl after she’d taken off yet another tentacle and got covered in purple gunk sprouting from the wound before a new one appeared.

Cat grimaced and slowly rose from her chair as yet another alien joined the fray. The woman in the black combat suit had been seen assisting Supergirl several times already, but anyone had yet to find out who she was. Of course Cat had her reporters follow every viable lead, but without an actual conversation with Supergirl, she would probably have to wait for any useful information until she was old and gray.

Once Supergirl and her friend had managed to squish the octopus-like alien into a container that seemed way too small for it, she turned away from the monitors and glanced out into the office.

It was lunch time and a lot of desks were abandoned. Those still around were watching the television screens above them with rapt attention.

Cat’s eyes landed on Kara’s desk once again.

She knew the tingling sensation at the base of her skull was curiosity. She had experienced it countless times throughout her career and sometimes when it was accompanied by a sinking feeling in her stomach she knew she was about to do something potentially stupid. Not that she would ever admit to that.

Still, she rose to her feet and moved forward until she was hovering in the vicinity of Kara’s desk. She’d seen her shove the box into one of the drawers, the top one to be precise, and as much as she wanted to listen to the little voice in her head telling her to forget about it, she just couldn’t get the colors she’d briefly glimpsed of out of her mind.

Her eyes flickered to the screen above her head. Supergirl was still busy shoving tentacles into that container.

Cat bit her lip and reached out quickly to open the drawer. Just one look at it. One little piece of information she would keep to herself, the last bit she needed to complete the puzzle. To confirm her suspicions. If there was one thing Cat Grant loathed, it was not knowing the truth.

The box was still there and Cat quickly flipped the top open, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of the crystals and their otherworldly colors.

Something was telling her to let things go, that it would be the smartest thing to close the box, respect Kara’s privacy like any normal sane person should. But another part of her, the one that was slightly bigger, wanted to know more.

She moved her hand slowly, her fingers a bit shaky until they came into contact with one of the crystals. Actual physical warmth spread from the tips of her fingers into her hand and up her arm.

She gasped and snatched her hand back. But the feeling didn’t disappear; instead it kept spreading further until her entire body was enveloped in warmth, almost like an invisible cloud of tingling heat was surrounding her. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling per se, only disconcerting because of its strangeness.

“Uh… Miss Grant?” a voice asked from beside her and she quickly slammed the box shut before closing the drawer with a loud _smack_.

Her eyes jerked upward and she found the IT hobbit staring at her as he stood beside Kara’s desk.

“I was just looking for a pen,” she snapped and briskly brushed past him.

She was mortified at having been caught snooping but she wasn’t going to justify herself any further. She was the boss, for crying out loud.

“Miss Grant,” Winn called again.

“What?” She spun around on her heels and shot him her best glare.

“You… you’re glowing,” he yell-whispered with wide eyes.

Cat looked down at her hands and sure enough, a flickering glow like the flame of a candle was emanating from her skin. She quickly pushed the sleeves of her blouse up until they bunched just below her elbows. The same glow seemed to have spread all over already.

They were slowly starting to draw attention and Cat reached out to grab Winn by his collar before she dragged him into her office and out to the balcony. He stumbled along until they were out of sight and Cat let go with a huff. “What is this?”

“I don’t… I don’t know.”

“Find out,” Cat hissed, “and make sure Kara doesn’t see me like this. Fix it or pick up your things and leave.”

“But Miss Grant –“

“Now.”

Cat watched Winn scurry back into the office and she exhaled a long deep breath, her eyes falling to her hands. There was still a light glow emanating from her skin and the warmth beneath seemed to have taken permanent residence all throughout her body. She rubbed her palms together and rolled her eyes.

She should’ve known better, had learned a long time ago that curiosity could get her into more than just trouble, but she wouldn’t be where she was now without it.

At least it didn’t seem to be harmful. Kara was the last person she would expect to bring something dangerous to work, so she wasn’t necessarily worried about her well-being. Her ego however, was an entirely different matter.

Admitting to the fact that she’d been snooping through her assistant’s desk? Sure, she could play it off as wanting to make sure her employees weren’t distracted during work hours, but she highly doubted Kara would buy that. Instead she was going to have to admit that she hadn’t fallen for the little doppelganger charade and had known Kara was Supergirl for quite a while now. And all of that because she glowed like a damn Christmas tree.

And the walls of her office were made of glass.

Cat groaned quietly and sank into one of the chairs on the balcony. It was fairly chilly and the air had a bite to it, but it didn’t bother her at all thanks to the otherworldly warmth pulsing underneath her skin.

The only problem was that she wasn’t going to get any work done like this. Not if everyone could see her in the office.

Cat’s eyes traveled over to the smart phone sitting on her desk. If she could just grab it quickly, she would be able to send out a few emails, reschedule meetings and such until this unfortunate issue was resolved.

 “Miss Grant?” came the voice from behind her and she rolled her eyes while rising to her feet.

“I hope you’ve figured out –“

Cat trailed off as she turned around and found Winn nervously averting his eyes. Right beside him stood Kara, a deep frown on her face and her arms crossed in front of her chest.

“Please don’t fire me,” Winn whispered as he squirmed under her glare before he removed himself from what was surely going to be a beyond unpleasant situation.

Then Cat did something she hadn’t done in a very long time. She began to fidget. Her hands fluttered uselessly across her forearms and up to the collar of her blouse before settling on her hips.

Kara still had her arms crossed in front of her chest and her brow furrowed. She looked so much like Supergirl in that moment, Cat wondered how she’d ever doubted herself on the matter.

The silence stretched between them and Cat could only imagine what was going through Kara’s head at the moment.

“Are you alright?” Kara eventually asked.

“I… yes.”

Cat rarely stumbled over her words, had shed that habit years ago, and yet here she was, bumbling like an idiot because for the first time Kara looked genuinely disappointed and angry with her.

Kara took several steps forward and slowly raised her hand when they were close enough to touch. She hesitated for a moment and her eyes flickered across Cat’s face briefly. “May I?”

Cat swallowed and nodded. She held her breath as Kara’s fingertips made contact with the skin of her bare forearm. The warmth suddenly spread and Kara’s fingers began to glow as well until she drew back and the light flickered out like a dying flame.

Kara exhaled a small breath and her brow furrowed even further. The expressions on her face morphed so quickly that Cat couldn’t exactly pinpoint them. It seemed to be a mixture of confusion, happiness and shock.

“I’m… sorry,” Cat whispered.

And she truly was. Although she had gone through Kara’s things, which she knew she shouldn’t have, she’d never meant to cause her pain like this. Especially because Kara deserved better.

“I’m going to need the rest of the day off, and you should probably leave as well. I’ll bring you something to cover up,” Kara said, moving away from her.

Cat's stomach sank and she wanted to reach out, but she didn't dare touch Kara without permission. She'd invaded her privacy enough as it was. There had to be another way to fix things.

Kara walked inside and returned less than a minute later with her sunglasses, a coat and a shawl. It would look somewhat suspicious, but this was CatCo, stranger things had happened. She would be able to leave through one of the side entrances once her car was waiting downstairs.

During her career she’d been undercover in worse situations.

“Kara,” Cat said quietly.

Kara took a deep breath after she’d handed off the items. “You’ll be okay. I have to arrange something first before I can help you.”

“I’ll be at the town house,” Cat replied after a few moments of silence. They obviously weren’t going to have _the talk_ just yet. The unspoken secrets uncovered hung heavily between them and despite the warmth still radiating through her body, a sense of dread settled in Cat’s stomach.

“I’ve called your driver, he should be waiting downstairs now. I’ll rearrange your schedule for today before I leave.”

Cat nodded wordlessly and slipped into her coat before she wrapped the shawl across her hair and tied it below her chin. The sunglasses completed the outfit and with her hands uncharacteristically stuffed into her coat pockets, the glow had been effectively minimized.

With her eyes hidden, she took a moment to scrutinize Kara. There was slight curve to her shoulders, a far cry from her usually so excellent posture. Kara’s eyes lingered on the exposed patches of Cat’s skin, but she quickly turned away when she realized that she had been caught.

“I’ll see you later,” Kara said quietly as she strode back into the office.

Cat sighed and followed shortly after, her steps taking her quickly past Kara’s desk and into the elevator.

The doors closed in front of her and she shook her head slowly back and forth. “I have to fix this,” she mumbled to herself with another sigh.

S-S-S

The cape flapped in the mild breeze around her and Kara reached down to hold it in place. Her eyes traveled across the foggy city below her. It was a very cold day but she enjoyed the crisp quality of the air and took a deep breath.

“You wanted to speak with me?” Astra asked as she gently floated to a spot beside Kara.

They were high enough so that no one down on the streets would be able to spot them, but still nowhere near the height where they could be bowled over by airplanes.

Kara exhaled a quiet breath. “I found the _shahkh_ you left for me.”

Astra smiled and tilted her head. “Yes. After we spoke about holidays here, I thought you might appreciate a keepsake from Krypton. I don’t know how they made it to Earth intact but I happened upon them at Fort Rozz.”

After a moment of silence the smile slipped from Astra’s face. “You don’t like them? I remember you being absolutely amazed by their glow and how it would spread between everyone when you were younger.”

“No, that’s not it. I love them, they brought back so many good memories.”

Astra reached out slowly and rested her hand on Kara’s shoulder. “I never meant to make you sad, little one. I shouldn’t have just surprised you like that, I’m sorry.”

Kara finally turned to Astra and shook her head. “No, don’t apologize, there is no reason to. I was so happy to see something from Krypton again, especially connected to such a special time.”

“But you still seem a bit, how do they say here, down?”

Kara huffed out a quiet laugh. After Astra had begun spending more time with Alex she’d started to pick up the slang around here, but still her use of idioms or comparisons was off more often than not.

“Something happened with the _shahkh_. I took them with me to work, I don’t even know why I did it, I think I was just too curious to wait.”

Kara sighed and floated to the side a bit when a strong gust of wind rushed around them. “And Miss Grant caught me looking at them.”

“So you had trouble with your cat woman?”

Kara’s lips twitched. “You really have to stop calling her that.”

“Tell me what happened,” Astra said softly.

“I put the them away afterwards, and then Alex called. So while we were out there making sure Squishy stayed in his box, Miss Grant went ahead and snooped through my desk. I mean, can you believe it? She just… I don’t even… she had no right,” Kara finished with her lips pressed into a thin line.

“I think I’m starting to understand,” Astra replied. Her hair moved softly in the cold wind and she pushed it away from her brow. “You’re angry and disappointed, I would be too, but that’s not what this is about, I assume? She touched the stones, didn’t she?”

“Yes,” Kara mumbled.

“And the light?”

Kara took a deep breath and nodded. “It’s there, she looks like a lamp now. A tasteful one of course.”

Astra tensed her muscles and floated toward Kara until they were facing each other. “And you remember what that means?”

“I do,” Kara replied, keeping her eyes fixed on the lights of the city below their feet.

“And you are unhappy about it?” Astra asked, confusion creeping into her voice.

“I don’t know, I just… it doesn’t make any sense. She… she has to know I’m Supergirl, I mean she has always suspected but now I can’t pretend any longer. And it’s dangerous. What if she doesn’t feel the same way? I mean she is _Cat Grant_ , she’s my boss. Why would she…?”

Astra reached out and rested one hand on Kara’s shoulder while she gently lifted Kara’s chin with the other until they were looking at each other. “On Krypton it was very special to have such a connection, very few got to experience the light of the _shahkh_ on the night of Rao. If the light extends to this woman even without Rao’s presence, you shouldn’t let fear rule your decisions.”

“I don’t think it’s that easy,” Kara said quietly.

“I know I haven’t been the aunt you have deserved for so long, but listen to me now when I say that this is something you shouldn't just let go. Or else regret might accompany you for the rest of your life. I regret many things, Kara, but I will not add another and let this opportunity pass you by, even if I have to drop you at the cat woman’s doorstep myself.”

Kara smiled and reached out to pull Astra into a hug, inhaling the familiar scent with closed eyes. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, little one,” Astra replied and strong arms wrapped around Kara’s shoulders.

The icy wind blew around them but Kara was surrounded by warmth and comfort, just like she remembered feeling on Krypton all these years ago in the embrace of her family.

S-S-S

Cat took a sip of the amber liquid in her glass, closing her eyes at the way it burned in her throat. It was well into the afternoon and she hadn't seen or heard anything from Kara since this morning. Patience might have been a virtue, but it wasn't one of hers. Her day had been less than productive thus far and all of her attempts at distraction had inevitably led to this glass of bourbon.

She was lounging on the couch in her living room and while the sun was slowly setting outside, she had no need for any artifical light whatsoever because her skin was still glowing happily without any signs of stopping. Luckily Carter was still at school because of an extracurricular activity but he was going to come home eventually and she had no idea how to explain any of this to him.

With the glass raised to her lips, she hesitated when she heard a light tapping sound coming from the balcony window. She tilted her head and found Supergirl standing there, red cape moving in the breeze.

Cat took a deep breath and gently put her glass down onto the table before she rose to her feet to open the balcony door. She stepped aside wordlessly as Kara slipped inside. She kept her eyes trained on Kara, not wanting to miss any cue as to how they were going to handle any of this. Because there was no going back to the lies, not if Cat had any say in it.

"The glow, it will wear off on its own, hopefully very soon," was the first thing out of Kara's mouth.

"That's good to know. Although I could've probably played it off as the newest fashion statement."

Not even a tiny smile from Kara. This was going to be much more difficult than she'd thought. Cat sat back down on the couch and cradled the glass of bourbon in her hands to have at least something to hold on to. Kara remained standing, her eyes all over the place and never meeting her gaze.

Cat crossed her legs and leaned back. "Why don't we get straight to the point, then? There is no use in pretending anymore, obviously." Cat gestured toward Kara's outfit. "And you're angry, which is understandable. I made a mistake."

Cat rose to her feet again, the bourbon sloshing around in her glass. "It wasn't my intention to become like this," she raised her own arms to emphasize the glow, "but I hate being lied to. I just needed to know the truth. Granted, I should've gone about things differently, but there is only so much dishonesty I can take."

"Are you going to fire me?" Kara asked quietly.

Cat's eyes zeroed in on Kara's downcast expression. "No, I won't. I had time to think, and I was too rash with the things I've said. You have a place at CatCo for however long you want it."

She turned away from Kara and downed the rest of her drink. Perhaps it was finally time for honesty between them and someone was going to have to take the first step. "I'm not sorry for knowing the truth, but I am sorry that I've caused you pain. I want to make it up to you, Kara, and I cannot accept 'no' for an answer. You... you mean too much to me."

When she spun back around after her admission, she found Kara smiling softly at her.

"What?"

 


	2. When loved ones are near

“Are you sure this is the right combination?”

Cat raised the spoon to her lips and carefully blew over the sauce to cool it before getting a small taste. To her it seemed like something was off with the spices she’d added, but then again she had no idea what the sauce was supposed to taste like in the first place.

Another spoon appeared in her line of sight and dipped into the sauce pan. Cat took a step away from the stove to look at Astra’s profile expectantly.

Astra licked the hot sauce off without hesitation and her eyes closed as a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. It was enough of a confirmation and Cat quickly put a lid on the sauce pan before turning to the next dish.

There were so many things to take care of at the same time that she needed all of her concentration to make sure nothing burned to a crisp while she wasn't looking.

“This is excellent,” Astra commented quietly before her attention was drawn to a voice coming from the living room.

“I’m beating you,” Carter called and Astra was gone with a burst of speed.

Who would’ve thought that her son would take to the stoic woman like he had taken to Kara, wrapping them both around his little finger like a real charmer? But then again Carter had always been a special boy and now he had two fiercely protective aliens on his side who matched his thirst for knowledge and exploration like no other.

Cat blew out a quick breath and wiped her hands on a dish towel. She reached up and brushed some hair away from her face with the back of her hand. With the sauce done, she checked on the roast in the oven and nodded to herself at the perfectly cooked meat.

Another glance at the clock told her that Kara and Alex would arrive soon, given that they weren’t held up at their super secret government organization.

Cat spun around and made sure that the potstickers were steamed, smiling to herself all the while. She didn’t cook very often, but whenever she did she took great pride in her ability to create something mouth-watering and delicious.

But this time the stakes were even higher. She’d never before attempted to cook something so different from her own regular taste. But luckily she’d been able to use Astra as her lab rat with only minimal coaxing. She wanted things to be perfect, especially since she’d turned the holidays into a disaster the previous year.

Cat fussed around in the kitchen for a little while longer, occasionally hearing Carter’s laughter from the other room, until the doorbell rang out through the house.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway before Carter called Kara’s name excitedly. Cat quickly straightened up her dress and fluffed her hair while squinting at her reflection in a metal pan hanging from the rack.

She might look a little worse for the wear after spending the majority of the afternoon in the kitchen, but she hoped that it would be worth it in the end.

Kara and Alex entered the house and Carter smiled at them so broadly as they walked into the kitchen that Cat had a small lump in her throat at the sight. They were a great team, just the two of them, always had been always would be, but the people she was starting to count as family made things just a tad brighter for them.

Kara’s eyes immediately landed on her and she grinned as she stepped toward Cat. Her lips parted to say something but Kara’s attention was immediately drawn to the pots and pans on the stove. “What is that smell?”

It was almost cartoonish to watch how Kara’s was drawn forward by her nose, sniffing here and there and closing her eyes with a sigh.

“This reminds me of…”

Suddenly blue eyes popped open and Kara spun to stare at Cat. “Home. This smells like home.”

Alex joined Kara at the stove and wrinkled her nose. “No, it doesn’t.”

“Not your home, darling, ours,” Astra replied from where she’d appeared beside them.

Cat had eventually gotten used to Astra’s sudden appearances and her reluctance to adhere to human speeds. Alex only blinked and her eyes widened in understanding. “I see.”

“Why don’t you set the table, dear,” Cat asked Carter, “I’m sure Astra and Alex would love to help.”

Carter smirked and Cat was immediately reminded of her very own knowing expression she liked to wear at work.

“Sure mom.”

The three of them departed quietly and Cat found Kara still staring at her like she’d grown a second head.

Cat spread her hands apart and glanced around the kitchen. “It’s probably not going to be quite like you remember, that’s impossible of course, but I did try to –“

Cat was abruptly cut off by soft lips pressing against her own and a pair of strong arms wrapping around her waist to pull her into a warm body. Even after being with Kara like this for almost an entire year, her body still lit up each and every time Kara kissed her like that.

She linked her hands behind Kara’s neck, burying her fingers in blonde tresses.

“It might taste terrible,” Cat mumbled, quietly inhaling Kara’s warm familiar scent.

“No, it won’t. But even if it did, I would eat every bite,” Kara replied with a grin.

Cat didn’t doubt it. Kara was not only too nice for her own good, but also loved food too much to pass up on something even if it was not quite perfect – thanks to the advantage of having an alien stomach and no knowledge of cramps whatsoever.

“I can’t believe you went through all the trouble to make something like this, it’s… it’s… incredible. You are incredible.”

Kara squeezed her gently and Cat smirked. “Why, thank you. Although I would’ve never thought I’d try to cook dishes from another planet at any point in my life.”

“And yet here you are.”

“Here we are,” Cat whispered and rose to her toes to get another taste of those sweet lips until she was stopped short by Carter’s voice.

“Mom, can we start? Alex says to stop smooching because she’s going to gnaw on the couch cushions if she doesn’t get food soon.”

Kara groaned quietly and Cat disentangled herself from their embrace reluctantly. “I suppose we should go ahead before my furniture looks like we keep a pack of rabid dogs in the house.”

Cat raised her finger just as Carter took a breath to say something. “Don’t”, she warned with narrowed eyes. She basically saw the thoughts floating through her son’s head at the mention of dogs and none of them were going to do her any favors in terms of interior design.

Kara grabbed the roast from the oven as well as a few other hot pots and pans in her bare hands while Carter carried the salad and version of Kryptonian nut bread into the dining room. Cat was left with a pitcher of something that smelled like fruit juice that had been sitting out in the sun for just a tad too long. But Astra had assured her that it tasted very much like Kara’s favorite childhood drink.

Everyone settled around the dining table, Cat at the head with Carter and Kara on either side of her.

Cat cleared her throat and looked at Carter with a small smile before speaking. “Well, this isn’t a traditional holiday meal for those of us who have grown up on Earth. Some of the ingredients were impossible to come by, but I hope –“

Cat’s little speech was interrupted by a load groan. She turned to Kara with raised eyebrows and found her with her cheeks stuffed.

“Ohmygod this is so good Cat.” Kara winced when she realized everyone was staring at her. “I’m sorry, sorry, I just wanted to take a little bite, y’know, but this bread is amazing.”

Cat couldn’t help the smug little smirk that tugged the corners of her mouth upward. “Well then, enjoy.”

She’d prepared an absurd amount of food but between the two Kryptonians at the table they made short work of it. Kara kept on making sounds Cat had only ever heard in the bedroom before and even Astra shot her appreciative looks all throughout the meal.

Carter and Alex were a bit less enthusiastic about the somewhat strange flavors but it turned out to be a successful dinner overall.

Kara offered to do the dishes afterwards and Cat had the sneaking suspicion she only did so to be able to get to the leftovers before Astra could.

After clearing the table, Kara shooed her out of the kitchen and she wandered into the living room to find Carter talking quietly with Astra and Alex. When he turned to her with his eyes already in pleading-mode she knew something was up.

“Mom,” Carter began, drawing out the word, “can I stay with Astra and Alex tonight?”

Cat narrowed her eyes at the three of them. “And why would you want to do that?”

“Just… to hang out for a bit.” Carter’s voice tilted up at the end of the sentence and Cat crossed her arms in front of her body.

“Really?”

“Uhm,” Carter turned to Astra who was sitting on the sofa and watching the exchange silently, and then to Alex who motioned for him to go on, “and to get into the observatory.”

Cat’s gaze snapped to Alex who met her stare with a small smile. “I have some special access and since a meteor shower is expected tonight, Carter asked if we could go see it.”

“I would watch over them,” Astra added, casually leaning back into the cushions.

“And this would take all night, I assume?”

“We have blankets, and hot cocoa,” Carter answered, “It’ll be fun. And you can spend time with Kara while I’m gone.”

Oh, he was sneaky. Smart too. Cat didn’t know whether she should be proud or offended that Carter thought he could so easily manipulate her.

Alex hid a smile by turning away and settling into the couch beside Astra.

“Okay then, since it’s the holidays and two responsible adults will be with you,” Cat leveled a long stare at Alex and Astra, “I’ll allow it.”

Carter grinned and rushed over to Cat to wrap his arms around her shoulders. He’d grown so much in the past year that she was barely able to look at him without tilting her entire head back. She sighed at the familiar scent of him and squeezed his gangly body, rising to her toes and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“Have fun sweetheart.”

“Thanks mom,” Carter called as he rushed to his room to grab his things. Apparently they’d been talking about this for a while and he had his backpack already prepared. Sneaky indeed.

Carter didn’t have many friends his age, but he could’ve done much worse than Alex and Astra, that was for sure.

With a bit of super speed Kara had finished with the dishes and joined them in the hallway to see the others off. Apparently she was in on it too. Cat hugged Carter tightly and promised to pick him up from Alex’ place for breakfast.

While Cat stood at the door, Carter ambled down the hallway to the elevator and chatted animatedly with Alex about the meteor shower they were about to see. She crossed her arms in front of her stomach and sighed quietly. He wasn’t a little boy anymore but letting him leave was never going to feel right, whether he went to see his father over the weekend or headed out to meet with the few friends he did have.

Arms snuck around her waist from behind and strong fingers entwined with her own as Cat still mused over her feelings about Carter rushing into adulthood.

“He’ll be fine,” Kara said quietly, warm breath ghosting across her neck, “there is probably no one he would be more safe with aside from you and me.”

“I know,” Cat replied, “I’m not worried about tonight, it’s going to happen more often that he wants to do things on his own and I’m glad he’s decided to start doing them with Alexandra and Astra.”

Kara gently pulled her backwards until they were facing each other. The door _click_ ed shut behind her and Cat stared at Kara while gently biting her lower lip.

Kara had taken off her glasses and her hair was flowing freely across her shoulders. The dress she’d chosen to wear tonight exposed her neck beautifully and Cat’s gaze took in the sight while a long breath escaped her lips.

“I have no idea how to thank you for what you’ve done tonight,” Kara said quietly.

Cat smirked. “I could think of a few things.” She reached up and traced Kara’s collarbones with her thumbs before gently hooking her fingers behind the slope of Kara’s neck and pulling her down for a slow languid kiss.

The spark returned as soon as their lips touched and Cat made a small sound in the back of her throat when a hot tongue boldly licked into her mouth. Cat pressed closer to Kara until there was barely any space left between them.

Cat would’ve been happy to let go completely, right here at the door, but Kara retreated slowly, with several pecks against her lips.

“I want to show you something, come with me?”

Kara gently grasped her hand and pulled Cat along into the living room.

“I know exactly what I’d like to see,” Cat replied with a small pout. She usually wouldn’t behave like this, never had with anyone before Kara, but she wasn’t above sulking to get Kara naked.

Kara only shot her a grin over her shoulder and deposited Cat on the couch before she rushed out of the room and returned within the blink of an eye, holding a somewhat familiar box in her hands.

It took Cat a moment to recall where she’d seen the box before but her eyes widened as soon as she did. “Oh no. No, get those away from me. I’ve learned my lesson.”

“But without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today, right? Things were a bit tense for a while, I know, but we figured it out.”

Kara approached her slowly and instead of sitting next to her on the couch, she sank to her knees in front of Cat and rested the box on Cat’s thighs. Cat exhaled loudly and leaned forward to reach out and tuck wayward strands of hair behind Kara’s ear. “That we did.”

“A year ago, I told you that these crystals only extend their light to the people we care about, the ones we consider family,” Kara said quietly and opened the box to reveal the swirling designs of the otherworldly gems. “I want to share this with you, on purpose this time.”

Cat winced at the memory. She still regretted the way she’d discovered the crystals the first time around, but Kara was right, it had led to something beautiful in the end.

“Okay,” Cat whispered and watched with rapt attention how Kara reached out and brushed her fingertips across the crystals in the box. They immediately began to glow like the warm light of a flickering flame and enveloped Kara as well.

It crawled across her skin like an intimate touch until her entire being was bathed in golden light. It made Kara appear ethereal and Cat inhaled quietly. Kara grinned and held up her hands. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” Cat replied and raised her own hands to grasp Kara’s.

As soon as their skin touched, Cat felt warmth spreading across her hands, into her arms and onwards all over her body. It was familiar even in its strangeness and Cat’s eyes closed slowly as she concentrated on the feeling.

The heat ebbed and flowed between them. It was like Cat could feel Kara’s heartbeat thrumming through her own veins, like a living thing connecting them through warmth and light.

“That’s incredible,” Cat breathed.

“I’ve never felt anything like it,” Kara replied and Cat’s eyes opened.

“You haven’t? But I thought this is was somewhat common on Krypton.”

Kara’s thumbs traced soothing circles across the back of Cat’s hands while they rested in her lap. “It was, well, at least among the more affluent families. But… I’ve never shared this with someone not related to me. It’s different.”

Cat smiled at the look on Kara’s face. “Different how?”

“More intimate,” Kara replied and the way she said it sent a small shiver down Cat’s spine.

Cat glanced down at their entwined hands, noting how the light was stronger now than she remembered it. With a smile on her face, she rose to her feet and pulled Kara up to stand with her. With a gentle tug, she led them out of the living and up the stairs to the master bedroom.

“Let’s see what this really means,” Cat said before she pulled Kara into a kiss. The heat sparked right between their lips and seemed to increase several degrees. Cat gasped and clung to Kara, twisting her hands into the fabric of her dress. She reached around to the zipper and pulled it down before taking a small step back and letting the dress flutter to the floor between them, leaving Kara in nothing but her bra and panties with her skin glowing golden like a real-life goddess.

“Oh yes,” Cat breathed out.

It was as if they were their own personal night lights, bathing the entire bedroom in a warm glow.

“Cat,” Kara whispered and her hands settled on Cat’s waist.

Cat wasn’t the woman for sappy moments, but right in that second she couldn’t help but feel like one of those scantily-clad maidens on the book covers who swooned in the arms of their muscular Viking.

And swoon she did when Kara grinned at her and hoisted her up until Cat’s dress rose up to her hips and her legs were wrapped around a toned abdomen. Her breathing sped up and she buried both hands in Kara’s golden tresses, one of her favorite things to do. Even yanking hard at Kara’s hair didn’t disturb her super follicles and Cat couldn’t be happier about that fact.

Kara walked them to the bed and managed to lay Cat onto the mattress without letting go before hovering above her. The softness at her back was such a stark contrast to the heat and muscle of Kara’s thigh between her legs that Cat couldn’t help but groan and pull Kara even closer.

The heat between them intensified and it seemed like it was especially prominent in places where they touched. Kara hummed quietly as she kissed Cat’s neck, a wet tongue darting out from time to time to taste skin. Cat moaned quietly and reveled in the sensation of being adored and worshipped by someone so extraordinary.

“I love you,” Kara whispered.

“I know,” Cat replied and with all of her mental strength gathered, she pushed up into a sitting position, forcing Kara to also lean back on her haunches. “And I love you too. Now take this off of me.” She gestured to the dress that was still bunched around her waist.

Kara grinned and wasted no time pulling the entire dress off of Cat before reaching out and divesting her of her remaining scraps of clothing. With every single barrier gone between them, the glow had become all encompassing.

Cat leaned back once again and Kara’s heated body quickly covered her from head to toe. “Thank you, for sharing this with me.”

Kara’s eyes crinkled at the corners as her smile widened. “There is no one in this world I’d rather share it with.”

Things were getting a bit too sentimental for Cat’s tastes, so she grabbed Kara’s waist and rolled them around in the bed until she was on top, looking down at Kara sprawled beneath her. Oh yes, she was thankful alright.

S-S-S

“Oh wow, that looks so cool,” Carter exclaimed from where he had been glued to the large telescope at the top of the observatory.

Alex grinned and leaned back against the bench, her shoulder brushing with Astra’s. “Do you think they’re doing it right now?”

Astra turned her head and scowled at Alex. “I would rather not talk about the things Kara does with the woman whose son we’re watching.”

“What? Oh, ew, no, that’s not what I meant. I’m talking about the _shahkh_ , the glow, the crystals, okay. I was just wondering if Kara had managed to rope Cat into touching them again, after everything that happened before.”

“My niece can be quite persuasive if she wants to be, I’m sure she didn’t run into too much resistance.”

Alex hummed quietly in response and rose to feet to wander over to Carter and point out a few constellations as they were waiting for the meteor shower to start. He was so excited about the whole deal that they’d barely managed to sit him down for a cup of hot cocoa and a few cookies Alex had snuck into the basket.

She wrapped one of the blankets around Carter’s shoulders and stepped back to where Astra was watching them with a small smile.

“We could try as well, you know.”

Alex sat down beside Astra and glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. “Try what?”

“Using the _shahkh_ , I think it would be an… enlightening experience.”

Alex chuckled quietly at the proud look on Astra’s face at having made a pun without any superfluous explanations.

“I think I could be convinced to give it a shot.”

Astra’s brow furrowed and Alex pressed their shoulders together again. “That means yes.”

S-S-S

When Cat awoke the next morning, it was to find Kara sitting up in bed beside her. The silken sheet was pooled around her waist and Cat took a moment to appreciate the sight. She knew with absolute certainty that she was never going to grow tired of this.

“What are you doing?” Cat asked quietly, clearing her throat after sounding like she’d been screaming herself hoarse all night, which well… wasn’t that far from the truth.

Kara glanced over at her before looking down at her hands again. “The glow is gone, but the warmth, it feels like it’s still there.”

Cat furrowed her brow and took stock of her own body. Indeed, she felt somewhat sore, very satisfied, and quite warm. “Is it supposed to be like this?”

“I’m not sure,” Kara replied and a small grin appeared on her face. “But it’s kind of nice, isn’t it?”

Cat scoffed quietly. “It’s not like you can ever get cold, anyways.”

Kara narrowed her eyes and scooted closer until she could wrap Cat into her arms, their naked skin pressing together hotly. “No, but it’s like you’re still touching me, even when you’re not.”

Cat tilted her head with a thoughtful expression on her face. “That might have its merits, I admit.”

“How about breakfast? Did you have any of that bread left? It was so good,” Kara mumbled, pressing kisses against the side of Cat’s neck.

“I’m glad you enjoyed dinner last night,” Cat replied, a small satisfied grin stretching her lips, “and yes, I put some in the pantry.”

“The food was absolutely delicious and you are the best.” Kara peppered Cat’s face with small kisses until meeting her lips for a long deep exploration. Heat was stirring in Cat’s body but a loud rumble from Kara’s stomach drove her young lover out of bed before she could get too excited.

Kara excused herself with an apologetic crinkle of her nose before she dashed out of bed and into the bathroom. Cat huffed and rolled over, burying her face in Kara’s pillow and inhaling deeply. She could hear Kara turning on the shower next door and shutting it off only two minutes later. Super speed did have its advantages. No wonder Kara always managed to run her errands within the outrageous deadlines Cat set.

Cat dozed off for a little while, still worn out from the night’s activities, until she finally decided in her half-awake state that it was time to get up and face the day. She’d promised to take Carter to breakfast after all.

Kara was still nowhere to be found and although Cat would’ve enjoyed sharing a morning shower, she took it in stride and slipped into the bathroom on her own. She would never be as fast as Kara, not only because of her super speed but simply because Cat needed more time in the mornings to get to this level of perfection.

She emerged from the bedroom in one of her more casual outfits that consisted of slacks and a silk blouse. The smell of food wafted through the hallway and Cat followed the scent into the kitchen where she found Kara bouncing around to the music on the radio. She was making a combination of eggs and bacon, together with the Kryptonian-like bread from the night before, and to Cat’s delight there was already a steaming mug of coffee waiting for her.

“I was going to ask you to breakfast with Carter, you know,” Cat said as she slid into a chair at the breakfast bar.

Kara smiled at her over her shoulder. “A second breakfast sounds good to me.”

 Cat pursed her lips and let her eyes travel across Kara’s form. She was dressed in jeans and a baseball shirt with the logo of the National City Falcons across her chest. She looked breathtaking just like this, happy and content.

They talked while Kara ate and Cat sipped her coffee until Carter called and it was time to head out. Kara gathered her things and bounded to the door while Cat wandered into the living room to grab her purse and phone.

Her gaze landed on the open box still sitting on the couch. She stepped closer and looked down at the crystals that now held so many memories for her. She reached out and shut the box with her fingertips, brushing across the surface with a smile.

Maybe it was time to start their very own holiday tradition with these.

“Cat, is everything alright?” Kara called from the hallway.

“Yes, dear,” Cat answered quietly, “everything is perfect.”


End file.
